


Lights...Camera...Action!

by Nowi



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/M, Happy Ending, Keith is Vietnamese, Lance is latino, M/M, Mutually Unrequited, Shay has vitiligo, Shiro has a prosthetic arm, Shiro is Japanese, Slow Burn, Some Cursing, Unrequited Crush, hunk is polynesian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-27 08:39:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7611202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nowi/pseuds/Nowi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance slowly gets up from the desk and creeps closer. He leans in close so that his chin is practically touching Keith’s ear and he lets his voice drop to a whisper. There wasn’t any reason anyone had to know about this little deal right? “Then… You know what you have to do right?”</p><p>The second he feels Lance’s hot breath on his skin a shiver runs up his spine. It was like Keith’s skin caught fire and his breath fanned the flames to burn hotter still. “W-well I- I have been thinking about it. I- I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t…”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Date

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of these chapters will include dialogue in spanish! Sorry if anything is incorrect I am a little rusty at writing in spanish _ _II

_“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?_

_It is the east, and Juliet is the sun._

_Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,_

_Who is already sick and pale with grief,_

_That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she._

_Be not her maid since she is envious._

_Her vestal livery is but sick and green,_

_And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off!”_

A lone figure in a sea of darkness, standing in the single beam of light ascending from the heavens. Short brown hair crowns this figure, gracefully dancing to her subtle yet elegant movements. She simply raises her arms to the heavens, to the beaming light above. Her hands turn so that her palms reach for the heavens, and in an instant they close into a fist. They again open, once more reaching to the heavens.

What does this mean? What does she reach for? Just what is it that they desire? They close again. What is the meaning of this action then? Does she close herself off to the world, rejecting all forms of love, hatred, pain, and joy? Once more they open, then close, then open once more? Enough. Words are to be spoken though more than just actions.

“To be but soft! What brightness is the sun doth thine shatter the window?” A hand clutches her chest and her other hand moves to cover her forehead, as if a fever had struck and would take her down at any second.

“To the left- Nay! To the East doth it be, and Juliet is the sun.” She covers her eyes with her palm, it seems she is about to cry. This maiden was to be pitied.

“Cut, Cut, Please cut right now. This is enough, please Pidge stop for the both of us.” Keith practically begs, his tone strained as if in intense pain.

  
As if completely unable to read the situation Pidge merely grins widely, “Did I nail it? Am I the lead?”

  
“Uh… Erm I- I haven’t decided who is who yet, I still need to see everyone perform.”

  
Pidge’s expression darkens and a scowl forms on her lips. “You’re not giving me the lead are you? You’re doing that thing you do with your eyebrows that you do every time you don’t want to reject someone.”

 

“I am?!” Keith reaches for his eyebrows to cover them up, quick to hide his secrets.

  
Pidge’s expression darkens further. “Not really, but now I know.” She makes no effort to hide the venom lacing her tone.

  
He’d just revealed himself. If he was a spy in foreign territory he would be dead by now, though in a second he might as well be. “Look… I think your talents would--”

“Don’t even say it! Just what was so bad about my performance!?”

  
“--W-Well maybe it would’ve been better if you were going to rehearse the play we’re actually doing...” Keith’s expression turns from terrified to exasperated. Her performance really took a lot out of him. He lets his head rest on his so called ‘tryouts table’ which was nothing more than the plainest wooden table that anyone’s ever seen.

  
“I thought you liked Shakespeare, aren’t you an angsty teen?! this should’ve gotten me a leg up in the competition!” Pidge scowls immediately pulling out her phone and opening a document she’d managed to fill up with information dug up on a certain play director. “Or would you have preferred me to recite an Avril Lavigne song? Since you also seem to have some sort of weird obsession-”

“Don’t!” Keith immediately holds his hand up the silence the small teen. “Listen…” He sighs running a hand through his long black hair, “What if I told you I’d offer you SOME part in the play. Would that satisfy you ‘oh great Pidge’?”

She snickered immediately having gotten what she wanted, “Why, I’d say thank you very much Director Kogane!” She rests a hand on her hip.

And with that, the first of many very traumatic performances had ended. It was a little while before Keith saw anyone else he knew audition. 

“S-Shiro?” Keith repeated the next name on his list utterly dumbfounded, not only was it yet ANOTHER person he knew but it was someone he had tried to get into acting for nearly a year. Something seemed pretty fishy about this…

Just as he’d begun to question his motives Shiro awkwardly shuffled to the center of the stage, “Uh...Hey Keith!” he said with a friendly smile and slight wave before scanning the rest of the auditorium with his eyes, “...Where’s the drama teacher?” He asked seeming to awkwardly fidget even more than he had already been doing.

Keith knew he clearly felt out of place on stage so he must have had some motivation to come….

”Oh, Coran? He had some...stuff to take care of?” he shrugs, being pulled out of his own thoughts for a moment, “So he told me he’d be missing today’s round of auditions.”

Keith could have sworn he’d saw a flicker of disappointment on Shiro’s face… however it was quickly replaced with his signature warm smile.

“H-Haha...Sorry, but I’m not really familiar with how this type of thing goes,” Shiro lets out a soft chuckle rubbing the back of his neck, “So I just need to recite a part from the play right?”

Keith, now somewhat bewildered, studied him for a quick moment before deciding that his suspicions were entirely unnecessary - Shiro was here to audition, not be investigated.

“Yes, that’s all you have to do. You can go right ahead, if you already have some line in mind you want to read out?”

“Oh, sure! I actually wanted to try out for the role of Castiel...” Shiro waves his script, a few pages visibly dog-eared, letting the pages flutter. “I’ve got it right here, would you like me to start?” Keith nods, settling himself into his seat once more and focussing his attention directly on Shiro’s figure. “Of course, go ahead.”

The beam of pure white light above continues to glare harshly, washing over Shiro’s form on-stage. He clears his suddenly tight throat and stills the jittering in his hands. _He could remember most of it off by heart, why not try reciting it without the script? Surely that would impress Keith._ He quickly discards the script, placing it off to the side of him.

“Continuity? Ha! Since when has life ever been about continuity my dear friend? Nothing in this world, especially not love, will ever have even a speck of continuity.”

Shiro’s words echoed boldly - with feeling, with depth - throughout the dark and previously quiet theater room. Keith paid close attention to his movement, all of them natural and emotive under the glimmering stream of stage lights.

“But that’s the beauty of it isn’t it? That’s what makes life… well, worth living! In fact it seems you've started thinking of life with a lot of continuity as synonymous with beautiful when it's nothing but a pretentious, monotonous existence.” He pauses, briefly.

“Or perhaps you’re afraid of what comes with the unknown? …You can’t avoid getting hurt, you know-”

Keith lets out a relieved laugh, sitting up slightly, “That….That was good!...That was GREAT!” he could practically feel a weight being lifted off of his shoulders. Perhaps this play still had a chance!

“W-What? Really?... I guess the practice I put into this helped a bit and I’m sure I wasn’t really that good haha! I guess I’ve got a good side character hopefully, right?”  
  
“Are you kidding? You’re getting one of the lead roles! You’re my Castiel! I’m not letting your talent get wasted! How much of the script have you memorized?”  
  
“Uhm well not all of it but-”  
  
“Start memorizing your part right now! You’re in my play!”

“S-sure, I’ve never seen you so excited Keith--” A suddenly timid Shiro stammers before stopping dead in his tracks “--W-WAIT! Lead role? W-What? I thought Castiel was a background character!”

But Keith is no longer listening as he forms a fist out of determination. He beams proudly, he was going to make this play Broadway-worthy.

 

\-----

 

“So how’d it go buddy? Hurry up and tell me already!”

As inappropriate as it was for a tall lanky boy such as himself to be hopping around like a little boy, here Lance was. “C’mon! Tell me already! Did you completely blow it or not?”

He’d been waiting for what seemed like hours. Weeks. Okay it was only like twenty minutes backstage but c’mon, twenty minutes is too long. They made him wait too long.

“Not bad man, Keith said I did great!” Hunk smiles as big as the sun is wide and practically glows. “I auditioned for the main lead!”

Apollo… Not the part Lance was auditioning for... Great! There was still a chance to get his role.  Lance nudges Hunk’s side with his elbow, winking at him at the same time. “Awesome job buddy! I knew you had it in you. Looks like our practice made perfect eh?”

Hunk shudders a little thinking back to their practice. It turns out when it came to the theater Lance was a perfectionist, he wouldn’t let Hunk go without getting his part just right. It must’ve been 6 in the morning when he was finally allowed two hours of peaceful sleep. “Yeah… Haha… I guess it was worth it...”

Lance can’t help but grin, there was no way either of them would be left without a part after all that hard work! “And how was Keith? Was he all uptight and edgy with that stupid mullet--”

“Lance Garcia!”

“- S-Shit gotta go before he skips me!”

 

\-----

 

“Helloooo! I’m Lance-”

“I know who you are Lance.”

“-Please don’t interrupt. And I’ll be trying out for the part of Castiel!”

Before Keith could give him any bad news he’d already started loudly clearing his throat. Keith sighs sitting back in his chair, he had to admit he was at least a LITTLE excited about this.

Lance had always been known as a natural performer, his only downfall being how hard it was to work with him.

However, two minutes later and he has still yet to recite a line. In fact he had this look of… impatience? Keith could feel a headache starting to form-

Wait...was that music?

Before he could chew Lance out for wasting his time that beanpole simply flashed him a grin before belting out the beginning of the song “Every Time” .

_“I'm afraid I'm starting to feel_

_What I said I would not do_

_The last time really hurt me”_

Without even thinking Keith had already sat up scooting toward the edge of his seat, no one before Lance had even attempted to sing any of the songs he’d picked for the play…

_“But every time your love is near_

_And every time I'm filled with fear_

_Cause every time I see your face_

_My heart does begin to race every time”_

He’d never thought Lance could have such a sweet, soft voice… but here he was singing so sweetly it made Keith sick and filled his stomach with butterflies.

_“Could it be that this will be the one that lasts?_

_The fear does start to erase every time_

_Oh could it be that this will be the one that lasts_

_For all my times”_

And it wasn’t just his voice… He clearly had years of dance experience under his belt. His movements were fluid and confident, he showed no hesitation, he clearly knew what he was doing.

“H-Hey! Mullet head! Say something!” Keith hadn’t even noticed Lance had long been done, he was convinced the sound of his rapid heartbeat had distracted him.  
  
“That… That was good… Really good…” He practically gasps when he finally gets a hold of the first few words that run through his head. Needless to say he was impressed.  
  
“Pfft I know that, but did I get the part mullet-for-brains?”

“Uh the part… Oh, right. The part! W-well…” He was good but… That part… He couldn’t let him know that the role had already been fulfilled. He was good but _Shiro._

Shiro was just perfect for the role, and even with Lance’s beautiful performance, as a director he could only see Shiro taking the role.

“Well you see…” He bites his lip before speaking further. Just how was he supposed to tell him? “I’ll.. H-haha definitely take you into consideration… Your performance was quite…” At this point his voice becomes too low for even him to understand what he was saying.

He couldn’t help it. It was like Lance was just… Glowing when he sang… Before he even realised it, he was trapped within his own thoughts of the recent memory of Lance’s silky voice and skilled movements

 _… Just how perfect… How amazing… H-He’s cute, Oh yeah, he was always cute wasn’t he?..._ He though sigh a soft audible sighing as he resting his chin on his hand.

Ever since he first saw him in freshman year he’d glance at him several times to admire him. Lance was cute and he had the smallest crush on him ever since that year. Not only that, but his cocky attitude and subtle protectiveness towards his friends only made him even more attractive. With this performance he couldn’t see Lance as anything but dreamy right now.  
  
He’d almost gotten worried when Keith didn’t answer right away. Was he thinking? Were the other performances really that good? What if he wasn’t the best- Wait.

Lance knows that look in his eyes. That’s the same look he gives when a teacher goes off on a tangent by telling their life stories instead of actually teaching. Keith’s never been one to participate in class discussions when it didn’t have to do with the lesson and Lance knew it. Keith was spacing out.

How dare he?! After all his hard work and dedication… But of course the famously perfect Keith wouldn’t understand something like that.

Lance grits his teeth before hopping off of the stage and stomping to the audition table, he slams his palms into the table before saying anything and speaks with a frustrated twitch and a forced smile. “Hellooo? I don’t speak mumbles. I need you to speak up before you crown me as Castiel.”

Keith could only blink a number of times to get a hold of himself before realising he was almost face to face with the impatient rising star. “O-oh! Um!” He suddenly leans backwards to create some distance and somehow avoids falling backwards off his seat, but only barely.

Right… He still had a problem to face. “S-sure you’d make a pretty good Castiel…I-I mean I haven’t really decided yet, I still need to evaluate everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, I- I still need to see everyone’s attributes…” This was going nowhere.

He was stalling without answering any real questions. “R-right about Castiel... Don’t you think you’d be great at one of the other characters? If you don’t end up with Castiel I mean. It’d be a waste of your talent to be so focused on him don’t you think?”

“Ahah. You’re funny. No. You and me both know I’m here for one role. Castiel. If you think I’ll be satisfied being background tree number three again you’d better hope that mullet hasn’t seeped into your brain.”  
  
“U-um... Y-you said ‘again’?”

“Fifth grade. Mrs. Donovan’s class. Puppybear Elementary. I don’t really want to relive that experience explaining any more of it to you.”

He’d never gotten the lead role. Ever. He’d tried out to every play and musical he could find but he always ended up being the number two if he was lucky.

There always happened to be someone better. As it so happened someone better was right in front of him and that thought pissed Lance off more than anything.

The reason he hadn’t been able to take the leads he’d always wanted was sitting right in front of him. The celebrated theater genius that always stole the spotlight, no matter what situation.

That ‘reason’ just puts his fist in front of his mouth before coughing. “W-well how about I get back to you on that...?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure I guess...” Lance clenches his jaw shut. He wanted to argue, even whine about it, but would it do him any good? Well usually it wouldn’t matter but he felt his own anger and unease cause his own discomfort to grow and grow.

He wasn’t in this for a participation ribbon.  But since that was his only option… Fine. He’d wait. Or he’d take matters into his own hands...

 

\-----

 

Twelve dollars.

That was all a certain Lance Garcia had to his name. Twelve dollars. What a fortune he’d saved up over time. He’d worked hard to save this money, though the temptations had been several and the temptations to waste his hard earned cash were extremely tempting. Searching through the couch covers was no easy profession.

Was twelve dollars a substantial amount for a bribe? Well even if it wasn’t, he’d already folded the money into a letter he’d written and slipped it into the locker, locker number 216.

Now all he had to do was wait… Except it was well after his last class of the day and he was tired of waiting. There was no possible way he could wait until the next day, was he really expected to wait that long? He was on a hunt to find that mullet.                   

WIthout fully mulling it over he’d already began to search for Keith, unfortunately he was nowhere near his locker so he had no choice but to assume he’d already gotten his stuff and went somewhere else.

He knew exactly where he had to be, and what a better fitting place than the drama club room? Lance confidently strode over, an obvious pep in his step.

Once he’d gotten there he slowly peered in and was happy to see a certain black mullet seated at one of the desks, deeply focussed on a sheet in front of him.

“Ahem!”

He clears his throat loudly before moving towards Keith and sitting on the desk next to him, even though the chair was probably a better option.

Keith glanced up at him before looking back at his paper, “...Yes Lance?” he mumbles, stiffening up slightly as he moves his arm to cover the paper he’d previously been writing on. Lance concluded that it must have been the cast list, what other reason to hide it would there be?

If it was… then his timing couldn’t have been any better.

Lance lets out a yawn nonchalantly while stretching his arms out, “Oh nothing~ Just wanted to know if you got my… _letter._ ” he wiggles his eyebrows slightly before crossing his legs.

A look of sheer confusion forms on Keith’s face as he thinks, he hadn’t gotten any messages from Lance… in fact, the only letter he’d gotten that day was… an anonymous confession.  
Yes! That had to be it. That’s the reason it was anonymous!

Keith could feel his face heat up in record time as he began to fiddle with the ends of his hair shyly, “...Yes… I got your letter.”

Lance slowly gets up from the desk and creeps closer. He leans in close so that his chin is practically touching Keith’s ear and he lets his voice drop to a whisper. There wasn’t any reason anyone had to know about this little deal right? “Then… You know what you have to do right?”

The second he feels Lance’s hot breath on his skin a shiver runs up his spine. It was like Keith’s skin caught fire and his breath fanned the flames to burn hotter still. “W-well I- I have been thinking about it. I- I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t…”

Keith’s voice becomes timid and low, though not quite a whisper, and he was talking nervously with every second.

“What’s there to think about? The answer should be obvious don’t you think?” He smiled with the same confidence a leopard held when it was moments from consuming its prey, he was getting this part no matter what. No matter what it takes.

Why was Keith acting like this anyways? Ah, so that’s it. This must be his first time taking a bribe. Well, he wouldn’t tell if Keith wouldn’t. That must be obvious. There was no way they would get caught with this.

“Would this be the first time something like this has happened?” Lance asks with a volume slightly louder than his whisper, yet in an unusually deep tone.

Keith could only nod a yes in answer, face too red and hands too shaky to come up with anything else.

Lance grins straightening himself up as he rests a hand on his hip. “So Nico di angelo the 2nd… what’s it gonna be?” He thanked the gods for giving him such great acting skills, he did not need Keith knowing how nervous he actually was about not getting this part.

Swiftly ignoring the insult Keith looked away with a slight pout as if in thought. He waited a few moment before slowly mumbling an answer, “...Yes… I will go on a date with you.”

Lance laughs loosening up slightly, “R-Really? I knew you’d- Wait. What? WHAT?!” he stops dead in his tracks replaying the word “Date” in his head...Did he hear him wrong?...no...his ears were too big for that.

He was sure he’d said date… but why would Keith be convinced he’d asked him on a date?! It made absolutely no sense! They were rivals Keith certainly HAD to be aware of that.

Keith quirked an eyebrow at his astonishment, doubt suddenly flooding into his mind - _had he been wrong? Was it not Lance who sent the letter? If not him, then who was it?_ “Why are you so surprised? You sent me the letter!” He paused, unsure of himself and struggling to contain his embarrassment. “... Right?” Keith needed clarification, and he needed it as soon as possible.

“Well, yeah! I sent the letter! But what’s this - whole thing about the - date?” Lance cried, utterly baffled.

“The confession! You know, don’t you?” Keith’s whole face was burning red, he hadn’t expecting accepting an anonymous confession to go like _this._ “I-I mean, if that wasn’t you then just forget I said anything!”

Oh. _Oh._ _So, Mr. Perfect received a confession letter, did he?_ Lance mused. He couldn’t blame the person, really, he was pretty easy on the eyes - wait, Keith just accepted to go on a date with _him._ He could totally swipe this opportunity from right underneath that poor, unfortunate anonymous’ feet!

_Okay, act cool Lance, you can totally pull this off._

“Oh puh-leeeaze Keithy! Of _course_ it was me-” Lance scoffs shaking his head slowly with a forced look of disappointment. “-By the way! What’d you think of it huuuh? Did you swoon? Did that little pretty boy heart of yours beat a little bit faster?” He could feel himself grinning already.

Keith, half-torn between elation of it _actually_ being Lance who sent the letter and irritation at his blatant display of cockiness. The situation was also embarrassing in and of itself, adding to a mix of conflicting feelings on his part. “Do you hear yourself!? How can you even say that without feeling embarrassed!” He sighed in exasperation, rubbing at his eyes.

“Yeah yeah~ Anyways when’s u-uh-” Lance gestures from Keith to himself stammering slightly, “-This date supposed to happen? I-I mean when did I say again?”

Keith raises an eyebrow studying the boy carefully, “ _This_ friday. Meaning today.” he sighs, almost dejectedly. “You… seriously forgot that? Man, how lousy. How do you expect to take someone on a date with you if you can’t even remember when you asked to take them out? I have to say, I’m disappointed.”

At even the slightest provocation Lance could feel his blood boil. But he’s gotta keep his cool. For now at least. “I can’t help but forget, the anxiety I got waiting for your answer kept my thoughts in a storm of confusion.”

Lance McExcuses strikes again, he’s SO got this. Wait… When exactly did he say this was?!

“W-Wait? Friday? TODAY?” Lance nearly chokes slamming the palms on his hands onto the desk Keith was seated at.  
“Yes.”

"B-BUT. It’s a SCHOOL night!” Lance gasps dramatically grasping his chest. 

“....Are...You...Serious Lance? Are you fucking with me right now? It’S FRIDAY!” Keith practically throws his hands up in frustration. “And it was YOUR Idea!”  
“Did I uhm… Mention a place too?”

“Seriously?” Keith raises an eyebrow with a disheartened sigh. “You said you had a reservation and everything.”

“O-of course I do!”

“Do you?” Keith couldn’t help but tease, he lowered his gaze back to his paper unable to keep a smile from forming on his face.

He’ll have to wing that part…

“You just wait...I’ll make this the best date you’ve ever been on! Even better than any of those shitty MCR concerts you’ve been to!” 

 

\-------

 

Lance couldn’t understand _why_ he was putting so much effort into this yet here he was. All dressed up in a sweater vest and slacks. SLACKS. He’d already practically bathed in axe body spray yet he _still_ wondered if it was enough.

It was then when he could hear a familiar sniffing noise, he barely had enough time to brace himself for the judgement.

“Where do you think you’re going smelling like that? Lance this isn’t a highschool locker room pleeease cool it with the liquid poison.” It was his sister. Great. Like he didn't have enough to think about.

Lance begins his reply with a scowl. “And what do you think you’re doing here Jasmine? I think I told you about how you can’t come into my room. We signed a treaty.”

“Well I’m not in your room skunk-boy.” That was true enough. She stood right outside it, feet still planted of the door that divides his rooms from the outside.

Any outsider would never have guessed they were siblings, Other than the brown hair(which she’d long since dyed platinum blonde) and the gift of tall height they shared no real resemblance. Sure they were both tan but while Lance was more of a nice caramel shade Jasmine had more of a golden shade to hers.

“YEAH Well OOF-” Before he could finish his sentence he felt like he’d had the air knocked out of his body. “You little-” He started to protest before feeling a force around his neck.

It seemed like the youngest Garcia member had made an appearance, and she was on a mission to destroy her nerdy older brother, making no effort to follow his finely established rules.

“You! Didn’t! Tell! Me! You were leaving!!” The twelve year old nearly yelled wrapping her arms around his neck and shifting her weight back. She too bore no resemblance to Lance or even Jasmine. She was leagues paler than both of them and her waist length hair was the color of a raven.

Jasmine watches nearby snickering as Lance tries to fend the smaller girl off eventually opting to throw himself back on his bed.

“LISTEN. Julia I know you’re going through your rebellious stage right now- Oh I’m crushing you? GOOD. S-Stop you’re messing up my hair!” Lance wrestles with the younger girl for a little while longer before escaping from her grasp.

“Eres una mentirosa!” Julia scowled as Lance stumbled away from her to safety. “You promised to marathon Girl Meets World with me! You lied! You ALWAYS lie!”

“...I-I don’t lie! I just...get busy sometimes-”

“He totally lies.” Jasmine interjects before practically skipping away like SHE wasn’t the oldest one here.

Julia growls slowly standing up, “Where are you going Lance?” her voice doesn’t match her dark look at all.

  
“...O-On a date…” Lance fidgets uncomfortably under her gaze turning slightly red from embarrassment. But he knew if he didn’t tell her she’d just attack him even more.

Julia stayed quiet for a few moments before walking toward his door. She slowly turns blankly staring at him before shouting “...Lance...HAS A DATE!” and sprinting out to alert anyone home.

Lance let out possibly the nerdiest screech ever heard before chasing after her. However she was already gone as if she’d vanished with the wind (She’d totally locked herself in her room). 

Deciding this to be the best time to escape without encounter with any of his other siblings, he hurried down the stairs after fixing himself up.

Unfortunately the only car his family owned was currently out being used by his mother so he had no choice but to rely on the use of oh so not reliable Metro bus. It was sure to be a long night...he could feel it in his gut.

\---------

Lance never liked waiting. Even if it was to a date he accidentally roped himself into. If he was going to risk his future last name being Edgyton the least Keith could do was show up on time.

…

He should’ve asked for that love note back… What if he got the wrong time.

“Hey…!” He could hear footsteps that belong to a familiar voice. Finally, it took him long enough to get here. Of course Lance would never get the wrong time. He took his time turning to greet him, he wasn’t expecting much but he should have a good enough face to look good in something classy.

He wasn’t ready for this. The second he noticed this boy’s fingerless gloves waving kindly at him should’ve clued him into what he was going to see next but as he kept looking over him he couldn’t help but notice one irregularity after the other.

A black Evanescence band t-shirt accompanied by the midnight colored denim of his skinny jeans. It was like an oil rig threw up on him, from head to his converse he was sheathed in nothing but his black color. The only thing not black was the red bandana tied around his neck. Okay he looked cute but… This isn’t what he was expecting.

“Um? Do you know where you are?” Lance asks him with a desperate tone. He was wearing so much black it looked like he was wearing eyeliner when he looked into his eyes, despite Lance knowing he hadn’t used any.

“Well you were the one who told me to come here so… Yeah?” Keith acts like this was perfectly normal to be dressed like he was going to a concert to the finest 3 star restaurant Lance could afford.

“Then what’s with all this?” Lance motions to the one of the glass walls of the diner, it was just reflective enough for Keith to be able to see himself in so once Lance points it out it should be obvious to him right? “You look like you went back to 2007! I can practically hear Simple Plan planning their comeback just looking at you!”

Keith takes a moment to squint at himself. There wasn’t really anything off… What was he complaining about? “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing? Does it look bad? This is what I always wear when I’m going out.”

Lance blushes a bit looking at him again. “No you look… C-cute but there’s a time and place for everything you know? I expected… I don’t know, a blazer?”

Keith wiggles his hips shyly and looks down, avoiding his gaze. “You really think I look cute?”

God damn this little... “N-nevermind okay? Let’s just go grab a seat.” He turns to hide his even redder cheeks and quickly opens the door. “Table for two please!”

The two of them were quick to sit down. Lance wasted no time in calling over a waiter and whispering something out of Keith’s hearing range to him. He sent him off excitedly before finally settling himself in his seat, though he looked so excited that he could jump out of his seat at any moment.

“What were you whispering to our waiter just now?” Keith asks carefully. He usually wouldn’t be so worried but the way Lance asked was just so suspicious.

Lance’s eyes practically twinkled. Okay, this date’s started off roughly but he was going to salvage it. He was pretty great in that way right? “Well my date-for-the-night, I just ordered our meal.”

“Already? I haven’t even seen a menu yet!”

“Tsk tsk tsk, you should know that I’m a man of refined taste. You won’t be disappointed.”

“And uh.. Why’s that?” Keith asks carefully. Did he let his favorite foods slip when he wasn’t paying attention?

Lance only answers him in silence for a few seconds, obviously building up the dramatic affect. He leans in closer as if he was about to divulge a secret.

“Get this. They have the BEST- Aside from those cooked by my abuela- Alcapurrias and potato balls known to MANKIND.”

Oh so that was it. He ordered HIS favorite foods. Keith couldn’t help but feel the smallest bit of resentment. “You got ONLY potato balls and… What was it called? Alcapurritos? Is that a full meal? Did you get drinks?”

Lance’s cocky grin is quick to transform into an unamused frown. “Listen Tonto, you’re going to love every second of this. After you taste your first ALCAPURRIA you’ll be begging or more. You’ll be like: Oooh! Lancey! You’re so awesome! This is the best date I’ve ever been on!”

Besides what did this boy think, that he was rich? Those twelve dollars that were everything he had to his name were gone for good, likely to some overjoyed halfwit who wouldn’t appreciate them. He had to fall back to his emergency fund. _Mother._ A half hour of begging on his knees is what he had to do to fund this date, twelve years in Lance time. Not even accounting the stress he’d received from the ordeal, he’d sacrificed greatly for this date. Keith had better appreciate it.

Keith doesn’t answer, he only rolls his eyes at him and gives him his patented ‘unamused Keith’ stare. 

“Fine, don’t believe me. You’ll see.” Lance speaks confidently, he knew he’d fall in love with this meal, and then, with Lance himself. The best way to a man’s heart was through his stomach right?

The neither of them knew what to say, both had little experience in matters such as these. With no food in between them all that was left was silence.

When the awkward waiting had finally come to an end and the tray of Lance’s long awaited meal had finally reached the table Lance was ready to cry out of happiness. It looked so delicious, absolutely beautiful.

But wait, he was the one taking Keith out on a date, not the other way around. He was going to follow his gentleman code and let Keith have the first bite. Only... 

“...”

“...”

“You aren’t touching your meal.” Lance’s irritated tone is grandly apparent, they must’ve been sitting there for years by now! As always Lance absolutely hated having any of his time wasted.

“I um… I don’t know where to start. I’ve never had this before.”

“Then I feel bad for you. But between you and me let me tell you something. With this Alcapurria you’re going to discover a whole new world of amazing foods. This is just your first step into a better world.”

Keith rolls his eyes for the second time that night. Was he serious right now? He was really pushing him to down this unfamiliar food, couldn’t he think about how he felt? Here he was about to swallow something he’d never even thought existed and on top of that there was this overwhelming pressure from his date.

Lance was tired of waiting. Enough is enough. “If you’re so unwilling to try one... “ Lance’s hand moves towards the closest Alcapurria he can find, trying to be as stealthy as he can be. “Maybe you just need some ENCOURAGEMENT!”

“What do you-MMF!” It’s so sudden when Keith’s mouth is suddenly filled with all the flavors an Alcapurria has to offer. He only has enough time to breathe and even then in short gasps.

He bites down on the unfamiliar taste. What was he thinking? If he just stuffed it in his mouth like this there was no way he could enjoy…Wait... He swallows what he can and starts coughing as soon as he’s able to breathe. “That was… That was good!”

“Hehe, what’d I tell you? Now that you know that I’m the best you can start bowing and- Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Keith doesn’t bother to answer. His hands just move from the platter of food to his mouth over and over. He was stuffing himself of potato balls and alcapurrias.

“Ohoh, so that’s how it’s gonna be huh? Well they don’t call me black hole Lance for nothing, bring it!” Lance eagerly grabs a potato ball, quickly rising to this challenge.

It was a fierce battle. The two went at it wildly with no reservations, no concern for the people around them. It wasn’t long before the two of them had doubled their size

“You’re a pretty good challenger but I’m not too sorry to say that I still hold the title of potato ball champion.” 

Keith scowls but with a smile. “Says who? I ate at least twice the potato balls you did.”

“Oh yeah? Mi abuela did. Out of all my brothers and sisters!” Lance huffed, puffing his chest out slightly as if he’d just been given an award.

The next hour was spent challenging each other to stuff more food down their throat than the other. In the end Keith just wasn’t able to keep up with the surprisingly bottomless pit that was Lance.

Once they’d finished their food Lance couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. His feet felt heavy he wasn’t ready to go back home just yet.

His eyes suddenly focused on a lone jukebox on a far wall to the back of the diner. With his signature cocky grin he swiftly got up and began walking over to it. 

“W-Where are you going?!” Keith scowled watching his date move farther away from him.

“You’ll see~ Calm down don’t worry so much Elvira.” Lance snickers before inserting a few quarters into it and pressing a song. He could barely hold in his laughter any longer as “What’s New Pussycat” began to blast throughout the diner.

He waltzed his way back toward Keith before holding out his hand, “May I have this dance edgelord?” he asked wiggling his eyebrows slightly.

Despite how ridiculous and incredibly embarrassing this situation was Keith could already tell his face had turned bright red in record time. “Whatever.” He scoffed placing his hand on top of Lance’s.

Immediately Keith had been pressed closer against Lance than he’d ever thought he’d be as the taller boy began to waltz around the diner singing the lyrics all the while. 

Keith couldn’t help but laugh, so he did. He burst out into loud hiccuping laughter especially when Lance spun him around. He hadn’t laughed like this in a long time. In fact he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d laughed this much. 

Sure they gained...several weird looks from other customers. But they weren’t really bothering anyone or damaging property so they were mostly overlooked aside from the occasional annoyed glance. 

When the song finally ended Keith had to wipe tears from his eyes from how much he’d been laughing. But he knew they had to go now and the thought made his chest tighten.

Perhaps it was the whole diner atmosphere...or maybe the absolute look of bliss on Keith’s radiant face...But Lance suddenly felt reluctant to go home.

“I uh...should go home now.” Keith mumbled separating himself from Lance and immediately stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Hey….Keith.”  Lance avoided his gaze focusing on one of the tables as he frowned slightly.

“Yeah?”

“I’ll uh...take the bus home with you.” Lance said glancing at him with a small smile. He began leading the boy out before he could protest, knowing full well it’d take him at least half an hour longer to get home.

\-----

His heart felt like it was ready to burst. He decided it must have been from how happy he was, he hadn’t felt this giddy in a long time.

He was having such a good time...that must have been why he’d opted to take almost an hour longer getting home just to ride the bus with Keith. 

Yeah, that was definitely why. Why they’d been giggling the whole time even though they were doing something as simple as playing Pokemon GO next to each other.   

That was why he wanted this bus rider to last longer than the forty five minutes he knew it would. 

“Ha! You caught another Pidgey watch me catch something super cool-” Lance brings his phone closer to his face awaiting the fated pokemon he nearly jumps when it pops up. “-Shit. All I see are Pidgeys too.”

Keith chuckles softly a wide grin on his face, “Mmm...What was that you were saying?” He laughs again seeing Lance turn his face too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

  
“S-Shut up Mullet.”

As if on cue the bus signaled its stop, Keith’s stop. Lance could immediately feel his spirits drop slightly as he watched the boy slowly stand up.

They looked at eachother awkwardly attempting to say goodbyes before just opting for a mutual nods and a “Cya monday!”

Lance couldn’t help but feel disappointment in the pit of his stomach. He absolutely hated it. But at the same he couldn’t help but think...it couldn’t be bad to like someone like Keith.

He mulled over the thought as he waited for the bus to start moving again. He knew it was a bad habit but he couldn’t help but be nosey about where Keith lived exactly.

He didn’t have to wonder too long, as the bus rounded the corner he had just enough time to see Keith being let into a gated community. The type he’d only seen on television. The type he could never see himself leaving in. Not with his family’s status.  

That was right, he’d never be able to see himself in a place like that, Because he wasn’t Keith. He wasn’t the perfect one. He wasn’t the one who always got the lead in every play. He wasn’t the one that talked to no one yet was loved by all. He wasn’t the one that had everything handed to him on a silver platter.

No not even close. He was Lance, Lance Garcia. The boy who practiced day and night for ever theater production yet barely managed to snag a background character. The one that lived in a house far too small for him and his siblings. The one that Keith hadn’t _even_ noticed until this year despite going to the same middle school AND high school.

How foolish was he, to even think that they could possibly be together.

\-------

Finally, the weekend had come and gone. The casting sheet would be posted on the bulletin board by the end of lunch and Lance could hardly wait.

When the bell had rung signaling the end of Lunch he had practically sprinted out dragging Hunk and a very furious Pidge with him.

“It’s here! It’s here!” Lance practically squealed trying to keep himself from ripping the sheet off of the wall.

“Man...I don’t even want to look..” Hunk sighs trying to stop his hands from shaking, he’d been nervous all weekend and he _still_ wasn’t ready to see what part he’d gotten.

“...I’ll look first then.” Pidge mumbled casually shoving Lance out of the way and ignoring his complaints.

“....”

“Pidge?”

“....”

“Helloooo Earth to Pidge” Lance began to shake them by their shoulders earning little to no response.

“Stagehand…” Pidge finally responded barely above a whisper. “My talents are being wasted! How dare he do this to me? Lance do you still have that dartboard with his picture on it?”

“Pidge..” Hunk tries to interject but it is to no avail.

“I can’t BELIEVE he has the audacity to put me as the ‘hero’ behind the stage, the unseen accomplice of the theater, the phantom of the drama nerds.”

“Pidge...?” Hunk tries again but it’s too late, he would’ve had to stop her before she started talking to even have the ability of holding any hope.

“We should take him down. This is obviously unfair. Someone should take him down from his high horse and that someone should be us. Fraud! Crook! He’s corrupt and we should teach him a lesson.” Pidge finishes her sentence with her fist striking against her palm. 

“Amen to that-”

“Okay that’s enough.” Hunk interrupts Lance before he could even continue the thought. He picks Pidge up and faces her with a stern look. “Pidge.”

Pidge blinks a few times before he realises she’s a few feet off the ground. “Yes Hunk?”

“You didn’t even want the part remember? You still don’t want to do this. At least this way you’ll be working with the lights and electronics involved right?”

Pidge just pouts and looks away but she knows he’s right. “My life is more than glorified flashlights…” She mumbles under her breath. To be honest the idea didn’t seem too bad. 

She dwells on the idea for a few more seconds.  “Fine… Just put me down… I still don’t think it’s fair…”

Hunk was satisfied with that answer and lets down the fuming girl. “Guess it’s time to see what I got right?” He laughs with a charming grin, but he was still uneasy about finding out who he got, or at least if he got everyone at all. He spends some time searching through the list of names until he comes across his own.

“W-what?” Hunk asks with a hint of fear.

“What is it buddy?” Curiosity laced Lance’s own tone.

“Three… I got three parts... Not even the part I tried out for…”

“What?” Now Pidge was just furious. “You got three parts and I got stagehand?!”

She kicks Hunk’s foot, causing a grunt of pain to overcome his speech. “Ouch! Hey watch it! Aw man… Three parts… Does this mean triple the practice time...?” After he memorized all those lines too, courtesy of the overzealous Lance.

He takes a second glance at it just to check if there was a mistake. “Wait there’s more?!” It turns out there was a detail he glanced over. He was also part of the costume design. “Oh… That’s not too bad actually… I’m pretty handy at that stuff.”

He grins a bit, maybe that would make everything worth it, costume design sounded pretty fun. Who else was on the design team then? He scrolls down the list until a familiar name pops up. Shay… He can’t help but turn his grin into a fully fledged smile. Shay huh...

Finally it was Lance’s turn. After both Hunk’s and Pidge’s results ended up so unfavorable to them he hoped that perhaps his own role was going to work in his favour.

He had no doubt in his mind that he’d gotten a lead role yet for some reason this left a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

Hunk and Pidge watched as Lance eyes scanned the cast list for any flicker of emotion. He didn’t say anything for a while yet… He looked relieved.

“Well...Looks like Shiro got the role of Castiel. Damn that mullet headed hipster! ...Better luck next year I guess?” Lance shrugged quickly stepping away from the cast list. For some reason… He felt relieved to know he wouldn’t have to spend anymore time with Keith.

“Uh...Lance?” Hunk glanced at the cast list before eye Lance suspiciously. Both him and Pidge had expected a waaay more over dramatic outburst than just that.

“Hmmm?”

Hunk placed his finger on the second named listed, “Did you happen check the top of the list?”

Lance raised an eyebrow at him before looking at the list again. Sure enough there he was, right under the leading man Keith who just so happened to be playing Apollo.  

Lance Garcia has been given the role of James, formerly named Adriana. The role of Keith’s love interest.


	2. Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAH. I said this chapter would be about their families...but I never got to that. So uh. Have some cute Hunk and Shay bonding!

"Cut cut cut! It's not like that." 

Once again it was Keith's voice interrupting the play. It'd been about one week now, after they'd found out who was who they'd been quick to practice their roles, even if their roles were less than favorable to their takers. 

"What do you mean? We were perfect!" Lance replies with an angry scowl.  _ God damn this mullet brained... _ He'd been on his butt all this time. If he wasn't giving him the part he wanted the least he could do was ease off on him a little. He did go on a DATE with him after all.

"Good." Keith said coldly. "Not Perfect." When it came to the theater he was oddly serious. When it came to Keith and theater it felt like it was something he'd done for all his life. 

It was a feeling that wasn't like what Lance and his burning passion had, nor was it an attitude so cold that it held a stern businesslike aura, though of the two it held closer to the latter than the former. It wasn't something Keith himself could explain, but if he had to he'd say that maybe he just had a knack to it. He knew how each performance could improve, but Lance wasn't taking that easily.

"Remember Lance, right now you're a Journalist. You have to act like it."

Lance scowls. "What more is there to it? I get in here, I ask some questions and bam, I could probably pass for an actual Journalist."

Keith just sighs, which just pissed Lance off. He was going to act more uppity than he usually does? Great.

"It's more than that. When you ask someone questions as a journalist you're listening to every detail, you have to act like you're using every bit of material to make your story. Otherwise it'll never be convincing.”

"It's plenty convincing. Do you think I don't know how to act?! I KNOW how to act."

"Lance, I'm just saying-"

"Yeah whatever..." Lance doesn't let him say any more than he already has... He didn't want to hear anything else.

Shiro, who'd been watching the two go at it, decides that now is probably a good time to interject. "How about we take five guys, it probably isn't good to be practicing the same few lines over and over right?" 

"Oh uh, yeah that sounds okay." Keith nods to his request, he'd been taking Shiro's advice frequently throughout the experience, something else that's been irking Lance. 

"Urgh, make it twenty. I need a big breather." Lance stomps away furiously, was this shit really worth it?

Eventually he makes his way over to where Hunk was calmly watching the whole situation from backstage. “What a rotten dye-stain. Who does he thinks he is?! Who?!”

“Well… I’d say he’s the director for one thing…” Hunk un-enthusiastically replies. He casually goes back to sewing his latest costume.

“So?! Okay… Maybe you have a point.” Lance groans dramatically throwing himself into the nearest seat. “Anyways aren’t you the least bit peeved?! We’ve barely even gotten to any of your parts!”

Hunk shrugs, “Nah… Not really. I mean… I’m pretty busy with costume design anyways. Not that I’m complaining! I used to help my mom sew all the time...” He smiles sheepishly. 

“Woah really? So you’re pretty handy with a needle than huh buddy?” Lance stands giving him a reassuring pat on the back. “Mind stabbing Keith for me then?” He whispers with a wink before being scolded. 

“Woah, woah! Leave me out of whatever murder plans you have dude!” Hunk raises his hands defensively, stepping back. “But anyways, I should get back to helping Shay… and the others! I’d feel bad if I left them to do all the work.” He tucks his nearly-finished piece of work under his arm.

“Shay huuuuh?” Lance wiggles his eyebrows and moving closer, his interest suddenly piqued. Sure he  _ should _ be getting back to Keith but… That broody director could wait. “What’s up with you two anyways?” 

“Nothing! Why does anything have to be ‘up’ anyways? It’s just… You know… It’s pretty nice to have someone to talk to is all…”

“Huh?” Lance feels the least bit offended. “What’s that supposed to mean? Isn't it more fun talking to your best friends instead?!” Was it piss of Lance day? Because it sure felt like it.

“C’mon, don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean it like that... “ Hunk scratches his head while sighing. He knew Lance well enough to know that he was just taking out his stress on him.

“It’s just… I don’t get to talk about stuff I like to do… You know like sewing and stuff. Pidge has her crazy evil science robot thing and you have your theater and well...” He holds out the costume he was currently working on to the irked Lance. “I have this. I really like making things...”

“Tch…” Lance isn’t fully satisfied with the answer but accepts that maybe he doesn’t want to talk to just him all the time… It didn’t stop him from feeling bitter. “Betcha have the biggest crush on her.”

“Dude…”

“Oooh, Shayyy! I love your sewing, oh but you’re holding the needle wrong! Here… Allow me…”

“C’mon dude…”

“The gentle giant… Hunk the ever-hunkable… He places his hand on hers… You hold it like this Shay… Oh… How romantic that our eyes just met just now... ”

By now Hunk knew how to best deal with Lance when he was like this. Walking away. Of course he did so while rolling eyes but many of Lance’s antics caused that.

“H-hey… Come back here! ...I’m not done yet! ...Fine, be that way… Make kissy faces with Shay I don’t care…!”

Lance barely had time to sit back down before he heard the trademark edgelord™ yelling his name.  

 

\--------

 

“H-Hey, what’s up?” Hunk wears his most lovable grin as he waves hello to a slightly distracted girl sitting down with a mess of clothes. 

“Oh, hey, I was just wrapping up here haha, how about you?” Shay smiles brightly at her partner in costume creation. She puts her work to the side to speak to the boy, she needs the distraction anyways.

“Heh, check it out.” He holds up his work proudly. 

“Wow!! Just look at the hem-work you did here! You can barely see the lining where you sewed the two parts together. How did you manage to sew so many patterns together so well?”

”Haha, it’s not that great, you’re getting better at flattery. Still, I guess Keith recognized my passion for the crafts. Or maybe it’s because I told him I’m pretty good at this stuff in the audition.” He takes a seat next to her, throwing his work on top of the pile of clothes.

“Hehe, really now? Don’t tell anyone but that just might be how I got this envied role too.” She grins, directing a wink at the slightly shorter boy.

Hunk grins pleasantly. “You’re pretty cool, you know? I never got much of a chance to talk to you, guess we just don’t run into each other that much.”

“I guess so…” She smiles shyly at him. She felt good about making a new friend. 

Hunk enjoys the moment, glad the two of them could enjoy a moment of peace, that is until a thought runs through his head. 

“Uh... Hey Shay… You aren’t… You don’t have to leave early again do you?”

“Huh? Ah. No, I was finally able to convince them that I had to stay for the club. They can be so… So over protective… I’m old enough to take care of myself now…” She furrows her brow. “I wish they’d start treating me like an adult...”

Hunk frowns, “I wish so too… But hey! At least you get to stay longer today!”

“W-Well yeah… Yeah! It’s just… I never get to hang out with my friends after school, it’s always ‘go straight home’! If I’m late by two minutes they always blow up. I can’t even text my friends because my parents ALWAYS get suspicious. Urgh…” She looks at Hunk with a sad expression… One that turns into an apologetic gaze in seconds.

“I’m sorry... You probably don’t want to hear about all this…”

“What? No! I mean yes of course I do! I want to listen to your problems because, well… We’re friends… We…  _ Are _ friends right?” Hunk’s tone wavers with dread at his last few words.

His words are received by a warm smile. “Of course we are!” She breathes easily knowing her words weren’t a burden to him, and happy at their declaration of friendship. “You know… I guess this makes you the first friend I’ve hung out with after school right?” 

Hunk smiles with his biggest smile of happiness he could manage. “It better be the first of many then!”

“Well said my fine young lad! Ah, my apologies, what I meant was my young MAN!” The sudden appearance of their teacher almost made Hunk jump high enough to make a hole in the ceiling. 

“S-Sir! U-um Mr. Coran, Sir! W-We weren’t lollygagging or anything we were just-”

“Ah yes! Enjoying youth, strengthening your bonds as comrades! Yes, I remember back to my days, I was in the mud swimming team with my best co-swimmer one fine morning such as this, if it were morning that is… Ahh, I remember it to have been a chilly morning. The mud was as thick as gravy that was cooked as steel with it’s main ingredient.”

“U-um, Mr. Coran? I know your memories are important to you, but… Is there something that you needed?” Shay asks politely, dreading one of Coran’s life lesson speeches. 

“Hm? Ah yes of course. Oh but please, Mr. Coran is my father’s name. You can call me Coran.”

“B-But…” A confused Hunk interjects. “Wouldn’t that mean your fist and last na-”

Hunk never gets to finish his thought. “Why look at these!” He holds up the costumes one by one, examining each one excitedly. “Such fine craftsmanship! Ah! The attention to detail! You did fine work my amazing students!” 

“Um, thank you Mr- I mean Coran!” A pleased Shay flashes her smile at him. 

“Mmm these will do nicely for our production.” Coran’s expression saddens slightly. “If only all our members were doing so well…” 

“What do you mean?” A curious Shay asks with a blinking innocence. 

“Ah, did I say that out loud? To burden you young hatchlings with an old man’s troubles… My apologies, but yes, we have been getting a whole smorgasbord of trouble this time around. I’m sure you both know of the constant fighting between our love interest and director yes?”

The two of them nod in agreement. 

“Yes, it’s a shame the two seem to be butting heads so often, but that is the curse of youth after all…” The man takes a moment of silence in thought. 

Hunk is about to say something when their energetic teacher startles the both of them by speaking up again. “Ah yes! I’m afraid there’d been another student with such troubles as well. Troubles in the… Maintenance department I suppose I’ll call it? Or would Managerial suit it better?”

Hunk realizes who he must be talking about “U-um.. You don’t mean-”

“Yes I’m afraid I cannot hide a thing from you, you sleuths. You young folk are known to solve the greatest mysteries of our time after all. You and your gangs… Why it was our dear Pidge the whole time.”

Hunk knows that he was right, yet… He couldn’t help but feel a bit peeved that their teacher had taken the spotlight from his discovery.

“She’s talented yes, but perhaps too talented. She insisted one or two additional features should be added to our set. Now I don’t wish to accuse her ideas of being insane, ridiculous or downright crazy. No no, that wouldn’t do at all. A young person’s mind is filled to the brim with discovery and creativity, now how could I take that away?”

“W-Well… I guess you could-” Hunk is more than a little displeased to be interrupted once more.

“With a stern hand is how. She wanted to add a disco ball for christ’s sakes! That and a variety of lasers and something secretive sounding she called ‘the fun pack.’ I had to simply tell her no and tell her that her duties were to consist of maintenance and keeping the lights on the stars of the show. Oooh she bared her fangs at me but old Coran stood strong! I won’t be intimidated just yet.”

“It sounds… Tough…” Hunk mentions the line without emotion while Shay nodded sympathetically. 

“Yes, well, I suppose I should have realised that when I pursued the fine profession of teaching. Why, it reminds me of a story when-” Suddenly an alarm goes off, a small repetitive beeping that somehow managed to keep their dear teacher Coran quiet in merely a second. 

“Ah, my friends, I believe I must be retiring for now. It is time I deliver my dear Niece’s snacks. You know her yes? Allura, fine girl. I believe you younglings can take care of the rest yes? Well with that I’m off! Farewell!”

With that Coran sprints off as youthful as if it were still his elementary school days, leaving the two students to watch him go.

“He’s really… A handful, isn’t he…?” An exasperated Hunk sighs deeply.

“I think he’s funny, hehe.” She covers her mouth as she giggles, though a thought enters her head that takes away from her smile.

“Is something wrong?” Hunk could notice right away that something was troubling her.

“I-It’s just… I guess I’m just nervous about my part in the play…”

“What do you mean?” 

“It’s just that… Do you think It’s too late to drop out and let someone else do my part?”

Hunk reels back in surprise. Perhaps he was a little too surprised. “H-Huh?! Why would you want to do that?”

“N-No, nevermind. Let’s just go back to work.” She turns to the clothes in front of her, seeing which ones needed final touches.

“Um… Okay…” Hunk follows suit, claiming a spot closer to her and the pile to share the workload.

 

\--------

 

“Again? C’moooon!” Lance whines, trailing after the taller boy like a small puppy. “It’s not mandatory to go work on the costumes EVERYDAY you know!” he pouts slightly. 

Hunk holds up his hands to stop Lance before he starts to ramble,  “I know, I know! But isn’t it better to be prepared-”

“No! Not if you’re neglecting your BEST bro!” Lance gestures to himself frowning, “You’re ruining our tradition you know.” 

“Our tradition of wasting our lives playing video games after school?” Hunk asks furrowing his brow in confusion, he couldn’t honestly mean- 

“Yes! That one!” Lance throws his hands up in the air dramatically before blocking Hunk’s path. “I mean it’s not like I can get Pidge to come over… All she does is mod the games!!” 

Hunk gives him an apologetic smile before patting him on the shoulder, “We’ll hang out this weekend alright? It’s just uh… A little busy in the costume department right now.”

“Doing what? Do you play spin the needle? You could do that some other time, we’ve got junk food and video games waiting for us.”

“Look man… I just really want to go check up on the stage today. I don’t think everyone’s going to be there today and… I-It’s not going to be fair for the people who are left there… To do all the work by herself…” 

Lance scowls. So THAT’S what this was all about. 

“Fine, whatever. You have fun playing dressup while I’m lonely and overstressed.”

“Aw, you really mean it? You’re the best!”

“Well… I may not fully mean it but I AM the best.”

“W-Well the weekend, okay? I promise!” Hunk runs off in the direction of their stage excitedly. Urgh, could he be a little less enthusiastic about abandoning him? Please?

 

\-------

 

Lance wasn’t gonna spend another day moping around on his cellphone waiting for a text. He was DETERMINED to get someone to hang out with him today. 

However… He’d lost Hunk, and Pidge was most certainly in a bad mood at the moment after having had ALL of her ideas rejected. 

He _could_ ask Shiro but he was probably busy with football practice… What about Matt? Were they close enough for that…? _Probably_ _not_ , it was then when he felt a tapping on his shoulder.

“Hey Lance.”  Oooof course it was Keith. “Remember to rehearse your lines okay?”

_ Oh my god. This ass. _ Does he think he doesn’t know his lines well enough by now? He doesn’t does he.  _ Goddd this annoying little _ … He spins to face him furiously. “I know all my lines. What are you trying to say?”

“That you should still practice your lines? There’s always room for improvement.” Keith merely frowned, fidgeting slightly. 

_ THERE IT IS. THERE IT ALWAYS IS _ . Of course he’s not good enough, not for the oh so perfect Keith. How much of an ass could he be?

And that look he had… A look of concern? Did he HONESTLY underestimate him that much? 

“I can take care of my own rehearsal, thank you very much.” Lance replies with a scowl on his face. He was getting really tired of Keith already and it had only been a few seconds of talking with him.

“Well… I guess we’ll see on Monday how well your methods work…” Keith shrugs his shoulders and crosses his arms, he didn’t get what the big deal was but Lance seemed offended in some way… Though he didn’t understand why.

“Ah! There’s two of my beloved students- You boys aren’t fighting again right? Because as we all know a play is only good if the cast is truly unified!” Of course Coran had to come at a time like this to deliver some of his… ‘Playwright wisdom’. 

Keith seemed taken aback by this, “Unified…?” He mumbled, a dumbfounded look on his face. As far as he was concerned everyone got along pretty… well? 

Coran very well knew that this was a perfect chance to solve one of his problems, though for the moment he wasn’t sure if this or the Pidge situation posed a bigger threat to the production. The second he saw the two anywhere near each other he had to act. If they became friends, well, that could only mean good things for everyone.

“Tsk tsk tsk, my rising stars, you absolutely cannot be butting heads all the time. It simply won’t do. Now, I was taught that friendly competition was healthy in our youth, that constantly being at each other’s necks would push us to better ourselves.” 

Coran raises his fist to the heavens in steeled determination. “Well I say bollocks to that! You see, I see us as a team. We must push each other, not with the constant flames of competition at each other’s backs, but with the bonds we share as a team of individuals working to the same goal. The way I see it, I believe the two of you must work on your bonding not only as fellow actors, but as friends.”

“Ah, how I wish I knew this back in my days in my interpretive snake charming club. You see, it was a day in my youth when-” He’s interrupted again by his own alarm, causing him to stand as stiff as a board.

“I’m afraid I’ve just learned that perhaps I’ve missed the bus home. This won’t do, not at all. My dear niece Allura must already be on it, heading home just as we speak.” He begins stretching his legs, right before he begins jogging in place for a quick warm-up.

“No worries. I believe if I hop a few fences, hijack a skateboard or two and, I believe the expression is ‘ride the rails’ a bit I’ll be there in time to have dinner on the stove by the time she gets there. Now I simply must be off my lovely students, I’ve a bus to race.” With that he runs off with such a high speed that it was a wonder why he wasn’t overseeing a track team instead.

Keith and Lance merely sigh, what else could they have expected from their oh-so eccentric drama teacher? They can’t help but wonder how is must be for Allura…

What was all that about anyways… Bonding…? Wait, that was it! Sure he was a prick but this could be Lance’s solution to his lonely feelings. Of course, he waited until Coran had left. 

“Sooo, Mr.Edgy loner… Hows about we take up Coran’s suggestion?” Lance flashes him a cocky grin, wiggling his eyebrows slightly. 

Keith raises an eyebrow looking him over skeptically, “And what specifically would you have in mind ‘dancing queen’?” He snickers slightly at his own joke. 

“Yeah, yeah call me whatever you want, you’re just jealous of my dance moves!” Lance hisses although he’s clearly the one who started this name calling battle. “Annnyways! I just want to know if you want to… Y’know.  _ Bond _ . Like over overwatch or something? You do know what that is right-” 

“Yes.” 

“Is that a yes to the bonding or the awareness of overwatch Keith you’re losing me here.” 

“Yes- I mean both.” Keith frowns stuffing his hands in his pockets awkwardly. 

“... Alrighty, well, shit… Let’s go then.” Lance shrugs before waving him on, in hindsight he probably should have asked his mom first but he’d just go with hoping she was still at work. 

Keith merely nodded trailing along like a small child, he couldn’t help but get a bad feeling in his stomach. Was this perhaps some bad omen? Or was he just being too socially awkward for his own good?

Either way his palms were getting sweaty as hell and he could not stop thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong at Lance’s house. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy did I procrastinate on this chapter...hope it's all good. hmu on keithjpeg.tumblr.com i'm lonely lul. Sorry this is a little shorter than the first one!

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna talk or have any questions hmu @ http://keithjpeg.tumblr.com/ ! ❤
> 
> Lance and Keith's families will be talked about more in the next chapter!


End file.
